Support for cameras, machine-guns, and the like.



w. M. THOMAS.-

SUPPORT FOR CAMERAS, MAC HINE GUNS, AND IHE LIKE. APPLICATION mm mu: I4. 1911.

1,272,574.. Pa tentedJu1y16,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. M. THOMAS.

SUPPORT FOR CAMERAS, MACHINE GUNS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION EILED June [4. 1911.

1,272,574. Patented July 16, 1918.

3SHEETS-SHEET z.

W. M. THOMAS.

SUPPORT FOR CAMERAS, MACHINE GUNS, AND'THE UKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14.1.91].

1,272,574; 4 PatentedJuly16,1918.:

' a SHEETS-SHEET a.

rrnn s ra'rns WILLIAM M. THOMAS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS-OBERKIRCH COM- PANY, LIMITED, or

sUPron'r FOR CAMERAS,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lViLLIAM M. THOMAS,

a .citizen of the United States, and a residentdation member and an instrument to be directed, such as a camera, machine gun, telescope, or similar device.

The principal object of the present'invention is to provide a universally movable mount, such as a tripod head, wherein an instrument carried thereby may be directed in any direction, within operating limits of the device, and locked in any predetermined directed position. 1

One object of the invention is the providing of a camera having attached therewith a supporting means adapted to perm-it of the swinging of the camera structure to any desired position by a single operator continuously during the actuation of the moving picture taking mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to providea universally movable mount for cameras, machine guns and the like,

wherein the instrument carried thereby may be directed in any direction within the limits of themount, and wherein the vertical plane of the instrument is maintained vertical during adjustments. 7

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rigidly supported sphere on which is mounted meanshaving movement around the axis of the support. for the sphere, and also having movement parallel to a plane including the center of the sphere. and the axis of the-support of the sphere thereby providino a universal movement for the carrying platform attachedto the means.

Another object of the present invention is a device as specified inthe previous aragraph and provided'with a lockmg' rake carried by the means and constructed to en-.-

gage the sphere thereby. locking the 'parts in any predetermined ad ustedposition.

A'more'complicated form of the present- I invention contemplates providing the mount with a spring pressed lock so'constructed Specification of Letters Patent.

brake or look is released during --adapted for NEW YORK, N. Y A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE-GUNS, AND THE LIKE.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed June 14, 1917. Serial No. 174,820.

that a movement of the handle in a given direction releases the lock or brake thereby permittin adjustment of the carrying platform in t e direction of the pull upon the handle, and whereby the releasing of the handle automatically resets the lock or brake.

A still further and more specific object of the present invention contemplates the construction specified in the previous paragraph as being provided with mechanism operative consonantly with the operation of moving picture mechanism whereby the the period of movement of the film, and is locked while the film is stationary to enable the device to be operated inphotographing panorama moving pictures.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a. device of the character specified wherein the parts may be locked against rotation in one plane and free to rotate in a plane at right angles to the first mentioned plane, or vice versa.

Other and further objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out hereinafter in the specification following by reference to the accompanying'drawings forming a part thereof, and wherein like parts are designated by like characters throughout the. several figures thereof.

- Figure 1 is a view showing a side elevation of the apparatus with a portion thereof shown in section.

Fig.3 is an elevational view of a more complex embodiment of the same. invention.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the end elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 illustrates the operation of the device shown in Figs. ,3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectionion lines 6-6- of Fig. 4. Fig. ,7 is a detail view of the clamping mechan1sm showing the base ring elampe the sphere.

to the support for taken on lines 8-8 of Fig. 8 is a view Fig. 4.

In the art of supports, particularly as moving picture cameras, ma-

chine uns, bservation telescopes, etc., it

is des rable that a support be provided wherein the instrument may be quickly and ios . accurately pointed in a given direction and supporting pivot.

operated Without necessity of locking'the Such support requires rigid constructions which will not vibrate unduly while free to be moved universally. It is also desirable in the use of instruments of the character specified that the mount be capable of quickly being locked to maintain the instrument pointing in a predetermined direction, and at the same time be capable of being quickly unlocked to change the direction of the instrument. The present invention provides a device that includes the foregoing specified desirable features and comprises primarily a rigidly supported sphere, that carries rings or cheek plates or equivalent structures which may be turned on this sphere on the axis of the rings or may .be turned around the sphere on the axis of the su port thereof. Preferably these rings are guided so that the rotation around the axis of the rings is always at a predetermined angle, preferably a 1'1 ht an gle, to the axis of the support or the sphere. This construction maintains the directing instrument in a definite position rel In the drawings 1 designates the" platform of a tripod provided with a supporting disk atively to the support.

2 having mounted thereon an annular socketwhich has in turn mounted thereon a ball 4 on which said socket vertically and circumferentially turns in either direction. The frame. of the socket has formed thereon a bearing 5 internally threaded and has right angles-to the axis of thesupporting cylinder. While I have shown a moving picture camera 12 mounted upon the sup porting platform 9, I desire that this instrument be considered as merely representative of any type of device with which this; support may be useful.

In operation the handle 8 is rotated to unscrew the threaded parts 7 from the hearing 5 thereby removing the end 17 of the rod 6 from contact with the sphere 1; thus unlocklng the rings and permitting the handle 8 to be utilized as a guiding member to turnthe rings upon the supporting sphere 4. When it is desired to lock the parts all that is necessary is to turn the handle 8 to screw the rod inwardly until the end 17 clamps tlghtly against the face of the sphere 4 whereby the parts are securely locked in i position.

' -mounted therein a rod 6 threaded at its end as at 7 and provided with a handle 8. Said socket has mounted on its top ahollow transbearing 5 which may comprise a filler bl'ock verse shoulder 9 having mounted therein a hand wheel '10 carrying a threaded stud 11 adapted to receive. an aperture in the bottom ofthe mechanism casing 12.

' The platform or base '1- carries an up wardl y extending supporting cylinder 13 uponwhich the ball, or sphere 4 is rigidly mounted sothat in effect the.- sphere is but a continuation of the base 1. The annular socket may comprise a-pair of rings 3 and 3 which embracethe sides of the sphere 4, and less than one-half thereof, and carry. the

that is an extension of the shoulder or platform; 9. The filler block 5 may be secured to the rings 3 and 3' in any well known man ner, such as by use of machine screws 14.- The disk or rotating base 2' is free to rotate around the supporting cylinder and slides upon the base 1. The upper part 15, which. a JS integralwith the lower portion of the rotating base 2,. is recessed as at 16 (Figs. 1 and .2) to form guiding recesses for'the Referring now more particularly to the device disclosed in-Figsa 3 to 8, inclusive, it will be noted that a slightly more complicated mechanism is utilized for locking and holding the parts. In this construction a brake shoe' 18 is pivoted as at 19 and is normally in light frictional engagement with the sphere 4 because of the action of the compression spring 20 in the-housing21.

cylinder and the block 25 carries a short tube 27 that encompasses said shoulder and comprises a retaining member for a relatively heavy coiled spring 28 that surrounds the operating handle. 29 and bears against the head 30 thereby normally tending to seat this head against the shoulder 26 (shown in Fig. 3). A cap 31 is provided on the outer end of the tube and has an opening 32 therein of sufiicient size to permit slight angular movement of the operating handle 29. The operating handle 29 is hollow and rings 3 and 3' thereby maintaining the plane of the rings substantially parallel to the'axis of the supporting cylinder Bend the axis of rotation of the rings, at substantially carries a pressure "rod 34 which is screwv threaded, as at 35, in order that the amount of the pressure rod-extending through the head 30 may be regulated by means of the kerfed head 36 onthe rod in order that the pressure rod will contact with'the end of the hollow cylinder.24 and transmit the force in the coiled spring v28 to the brake -shoe 18 when the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 3. When it is desirable to adJust the device in order that theinstrument carried thereby may be pointed in a against the cylinder -minates in'a thumb piece 41.

particular direction, all that is necessary is to pull the operating handle 29 in the normal direction that will point the instrument as desired. The first effect of this action is to set up an angular relation between the axis of the operating handle and the axis of the short tube 27thereby tilting the head .30

from the-shoulder 26 consequently removing the end of the pressure rod 34 from contact with the hollow cylinder 24 thus relieving the brake shoe 18 from the pressure of-the coiled spring 28 and rendering the parts free to be moved as the operator pulls or pushes sidewise on the handle. It is to be noted that under these conditions the oper ating handle 29 contacts with the sides of the opening 32 whereby a direct leverage is established between the parts to assist in the adjustment. A

In devices of this character it is often desirable to be able to lock the instrument in order to sweep a definite predetermined plane, or effective zone, either in a vertical or horizontal plane of movement. To this end the clamping mechanism illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6 is provided. This mechanism comprises a block 37 that is secured to the rotating base 2 by suitable stud screws 38, or similar devices. This block is screw threaded and carries a clamp screw 39 which is provided with a small pinion 40 and ter- The rotating base 2 is likewise screw threaded and carries a longer clamp screw 42 that is provided with a small pinion 44 which is in mesh with the pinion40 carried by the clamp screw 39. The direction of threads on both clamp screws is the same and the clamp screw 39 engages the side of the ring 3 to lock the ring to the rotating base 2 sothat the rings 3 and 3' cannot be rotated around their axis but may axis of the supporting cylinder for the sphere. The longer clamp screw 42 engages the side of the supporting cylinder 13 and locks the rotating base 2 to this cylinder thereby preventing any rotation of the parts around the axis of the sphere supporting cylinder 13. It is to be noted that the function of the small pinions 40. and 44 is to reverse the rotative movement of the clamp screw 42 relatively to the movements of the clamp screw 39 sothat should the thumb piece 41 be turned to tighten the clamp 7 screw 39 the pinions Wlll operate to unseat the clamp. screw 42 from engagement with. the cylinder 13, as'is shown in Fig. 4, and

vice versa if the thumb piece 41 is operated 'to release or unclampthe ring 3 then continued rotative movement in this direction will clamp -or lock 13, as is shown in Fig. 7. There" is a sufiicient difference between the lengths of tliese clamp screws to enable the thumb piece to be operated to release sweep be rotated around the the clamp screw 42.

scape the clampmg In moving picture work, particularlypanoramic work, wherein a panoramic view is being photographed it is the common practice to move the camera continuously to the particular view being photographed and to operate thecamera mechanism durin this continuous movement. The effect 0 this operation is to produce blurring ofthe distant objects being photographed. This difliculty may be obviated by maintaining the camera stationary during the moment'of time while the picture is be ng exposed and then moving the camera at the time when the 'film is moving and is blanketed by the shutter of the camera. In other words producing an intermittent movement of the camera which is consonant with the intermittent movementof the film. To this end the mount shown in Figs. 1 to 8 further contemplates the addition of a rotating shaft 45 that is provided with an eccentric portion 46. that contacts with a pressure block 47 that rests upon the shoulder of the brake shoe 18. This shaft 45 carries a rotating head 48 with which is connected the helical spring 49 that normally tends to relieve the pressure block 47 of the pressure from the eccentric member 46. The helical spring is carried by the housing 50 which is provided with a stop lug 51 that extends into an opening 52 in the head 48 therebylimiting the movement of the head 48 when the helical spring 49 is free to act upon the shaft 45. head 48 is reduced to a square cross-section 54 which is adapted to carry an operating arm 55 that is locked in position on the head 48 by the thumb screw 56. The operating arm 55 carries at its outer end a small antifriction roll 57 that engages a toothed disk which is mounted to rotate with the operating shaft 59 of a moving picture camera that carries the operating handle 60. This toothed disk is provided with raised portions 61 and with depressions 62. The raised portions 61 are of such length and arrangement thatv while the antifriction roll 57 is in engagement with a raised portion (see Fig. 3) the film within the camera is stationary and being exposed. At this time the arm 55' has been rotated sufficiently to cause the eccentric portion 46 to force the pressure block 47 tightly against.

the friction shoe thereby locking the parts. Immediately as the'roll 57 drops into a" depression 62 the helical spring 49 rotates the shaft-45 causing relieve the pressure block '47 of pressure thereby releasing pressure on the friction shoe 18 to enable the camera carrying portion to be moved. Assuming that it is desired to take a panoramic view of a landscrews are operated to The outer end of the the eccentric portion 46 to clamp the rings against vertical movement,

when an exposureis being made and moved r I claim 1s:-

1. In a device of the character described,

to a new position duringthe time when the film is bein moved.

This appllcation is a continuation inypart' of applicants prior application Serial No. 18,574, filed April 1, 1915. I

Realizing that the present inventions may be embodied in structures other than the specific mechanisms herein illustrated I desire that the specific disclosures be under, stood as illustrative and not to be taken in the limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what in combination, asupporting base, a cylindrical member secured .to said supporting base, a sphere fixedly mounted'upon said cylindrical member, sphere inclosing means 5 adapted to'ha-ve movement in two directions within predetermined limits upon said sphere, a dev1ce to restrain said means from any movement in a thlrd direction, a carryinclosin carried y said sphere inclosing means and being adaptable to lock said means to said sphere.

2. In a device of the character described, 1n combmation, a supporting base, an up- -wardly extending member ,securedto and ment in a third direction, a handle, locking.

devices controlled by said handle and operat1ve to lock said sphere inclosing' means to said sphere, and mechanism carried by said sphere inclosing' means to enable an instrument to be secured to sald means.

3. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a supporting base, a

sphere supporting member rigidly secured to said base, a sphere upon said member,

means mounted upon said sphere and ,adaptable forrotation' around the axis of said right angles to the axisof sai member, de-

vices to restrain said means from movement in the third direction, attaching devices carried by said means whereby a suitable 'said'supporting base, a supportin ng platform fixedly secured-tosaid sphere fi means, and a clamping member instrument may be secured thereto, and mechan sm for locklng sa d means to said sphere.

in such manner that the central plane of v said means alw-ays includes a predetermined fixed line passing-through the center of said sphere and comprising the axis of the'sup- Port for the sphere.

.5. Ina device of the class described, in

' combination, a rigidly mounted supportingsphere, an instrument carrying means mounted upon said sphere for movement'in two directions between predetermined limits to rotate around, the axis of the support for said sphere and adapted to guide said I relatively thereto, a rotating'base adapted rotatable baseoperatively connected with said means and adapted to prevent movement of said means in a third direction.

7. In a device of the character described comprising in combination, "1a supporting base, a cylindrical'mount rigidly carried by p s here Xedly mounted upon said cy in rical mount, a rotating base carried upon said cylindrical mount and rotatable relatively thereto, a pair of rings inclosing opposlte sides of said sphere, guide surfaces being provided on said rotatable base and adapted to cooperate with said rings whereby said rings are rotatable in only two directions upon said sphere, and a supporting platform carried by said -rings.

8. In a device'of the'character described, in combination, a rigidly mounted supporting sphere, instrument carrying means mounted upon said sphere for movement in two directions between predetermined limits with one axis of said means being maintained at all times coincident with a fixed axis extending through the center of said sphere, a locking device carried by said means and in operative relation-to said sphere, a directing handle, and devices operatively connected with said handle and said locking device so that the operation of said handle todirect the said means automatically unlocks the locking device.

9. A device of the character described, comprising in combination, a rigidly mounted supporting sphere, instrument supporting means carried by said sphere and rotatable relatively thereto, a locking mechanism carried by said means and in operative engagement with said sphere, a

directing handle, and automatically oper- 10. A device of "the character described,

comprising a rigidly mounted supporting sphere, instrument supporting means car ried by said sphere and rotatable relatively thereto, a friction lock carried by said means and in operative engagement with said sphere, an operating handle, and devices for automatically releasing said look when said handle is operated to direct the said means. I

11. device of the character specified comprismg a rigidly mounted supporting sphere, lnstrument supporting means carried by said sphere and rotatable relatively thereto, a friction lock for normally preventing rotation between said sphere and said means, and devices for rendering said lock ineffective when said means is being directed. r

12. device of the character described, comprising in combination, a rigidly mounted supporting sphere, instrument supporting means carried by said sphere and rotatable relatively thereto, a lock normally preventing rotation between said sphere and said means, devices for directing said means, and mechanism for automatically releasing said look when said directing means are being operated.

13. A supporting device of the character described comprising, in combination, a support ng sphere,instrument supporting means carried by said sphereand rotatable relatively thereto,a friction shoe adapted to engage said sphere, an operating handle, a spring normally urging said handle toward sald shoe, an adjustable member operatively connected with said handle and adapt ed to regulate the degree of mitted to said shoe from said spring, and means whereby the operation of said handle renders said shoe ineffective to lock said instrument supporting means to said sphere.

14. device of the character described, comprising a rigidly mounted supporting sphere, instrument supportin means carried by said sphere and rotata le relativelythereto, a friction shoe continuously maintained in engagement with said sphere, an

operating handle, and means controlled by said handle whereby radial forcesare, applied to said shoe to substantially lock said shoe to said sphere thereby normally presphere;

15. In a combinatipn, a rigidly mounted supporting ressure trans-' device of the class described, in

sphere, nstrument carrying means mounted upon said sphere and rotatable relatively thereto in two directions between predetermined limits, and clamping devices for restricting the movement of said means to a single rotative direction at the will of the operaton 16. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a rigidly mounted supporting sphere, instrument supporting means carried by said sphere and rotatable relatively thereto in such manner that the central plane of said means always includes a predetermined fixed line passing through the center of said sphere and comprising the axis of the support for said sphere, and devices whereby the movement of said means may be restricted to a single rotative direction.-

17. In a device of the character described, in combination, a supporting base, a sphere fixedly mounted relatively to said base, a pair of oppositely disposed rings encompassing opposite sides of said sphere and movable in two directions thereon, and clamping means for restricting the movement of said rings to a single one of said directions. a

18. In a device of the character described, incombination, a' supporting base, a supporting cylinder rigidly secured to said base, a sphere fixedly mounted on said cylinder, a

air of oppositely disposed rings encompassmg opposite sides of said sphere and move able upon said sphere, a rotating base upon lock said rotating base to said rings, and

means providedon said rotating base for causing said base to be atall times in operative connection with said rings.

19. In a device of the'cha-racter described,

in combination, a supporting base, a cylinder fixedly mounted upon said supporting base, a sphere fixedly mounted on said cylinder, a pair of rings encompassing opposite sides of said sphere and movable upon said sphere, a rotatable base adapted to rotate around said cylinder, a pair of clamp screws,'one of said clamp screws being adapted to clamp said rings against movement around the axis of the rings, the other of said clamp screws being adapted to clamp said'rings against rotation around the axis ofsaid supporting cylinder, and operative mechanism connecting said clamp screws whereby the effective operation of one clamp screw rendersthe other clamp screw inefi'ective.

WILLIAM M; THOMAS. 

